In Architectural History we learn about the primitive hut; the first attempt at architectural ideas. These simple dwellings were founded on nature and built by the people that would inherently live there. I find the idea behind the primitive hut to be attractive not only because it laid the foundation for architecture but it gave the builder supreme architectural authority. The builder understands what is desired for their dwelling more than anyone else could. This direct connection between building and builder is the spice that makes architecture interesting.
Fast foreword two thousand years, to a culture that no longer has a direct connection to their dwellings. Our culture relies on the creative talent of architects to design their environment in a responsive way. In a since the responsibility of the builder (architect) has greatly increased. Instead of constructing a dwelling solely for their own purposes, the builder must accommodate for the needs of many.
The personal convictions, of any architect will show up in their work. If the people who occupy the building can feel these convictions it is an indication of a skilled and rigorous architect. As an architect student I am constantly thinking about what my preliminary architecture is advocating. I find that inspiration comes from ones own character. We base our design according to issues that are important to us. My personal ambition for architecture relates to a building’s sentimental value in relation to its occupants, a strong connection to nature, ability to cultivate social interaction, and to be an expression of one’s culture. To epitomize these characteristics I believe architecture should be driven by the human experience.
When referring to sentimental objects one may think of childhood toys or personal gifts given by a loved one, but could a building not also provoke the same emotions? Architecture has the ability to shape the way we feel by the mood and ambience the building creates. A great example of architecture creating a particular mood is the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany by Daniel Libeskind. The museum is dedicated the WWII holocaust victims and there families. Libeskind creates an overwhelming sense of atmosphere in the museum by controlling the position and amount of light entering the building. One gallery space in particular emphasizes the loneliness felt by Jews trapped in concentration camps, by leading visitors through a narrow corridor, which is solely lit by natural light cascading through a high slit in the wall. Libeskind states, "I believe that this project joins architecture to questions that are now relevant to all humanity. To this end, I have sought to create a new Architecture for a time, which would reflect an understanding of history, a new understanding of Museums and a new realization of the relationship between program and architectural space. Therefore this Museum is not only a response to a particular program, but an emblem of Hope." It is evident in this project that architecture can people feel for others, but also question how people feel about themselves.
The presence and integration of nature is an important aspect of the human experience. A building is imposing its self onto a site and in return it should become apart of the ecology of that site. The approach of a building starts from the moment a person begins on their destination and ends when they have passed through the threshold of the building. The famous Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier developed the approach of the building from miles away. Corbusier intents travelers to arrive from the busy city of Poissy, outside of Paris. As travelers become closer to Villa Savoye the city life begins to determinate into the background. Once on the country road leading to Villa Savoye one can start to see the building through the passing trees. On the final approach of the vacation home, the forest opens up to reveal the house in a center clearing. This gradual change in setting from urban to rural creates a mental transformation for the individual visiting. Corbusier develops this transformation to shape the type of human experience he desires.
The approach of a building and its surrounding site is only part of the roll nature plays in the human experience. It is evident, to me, that people find symbolism between religion (higher power) and nature. Nature is a force that cannot be controlled by man and the same is true for the eventual death we all must experience. So it seems expected that natural elements would be accentuated in religious buildings. The Church on Water designed by architect Tadao Ando is a clear example of nature and religious symbolism merging together. The church on the water is located in the rural part of Tomamu, Hokkaido, Japan. After a short walk visitors arrive at the site where they descend a staircase, on level with a roof pond, into the chapel. Ando replaces the front wall of the chapel with a view of the surrounding pond. With this simple notion Ando is representing the “creator” as the giver of nature. By placing the retaking pond on the roof Ando is blurring the line between what is natural and what is man made. In addition to using natural elements to appeal to the human experience Ando states, “When I design buildings, I think of the overall composition, much as the parts of a body would fit together. On top of that, I think about how people will approach the building and experience that space.” I believe that Ando is dead on when compares the parts of a human body to the parts of a building. If a body part is missing from the whole then the rest of the body will cease to function.
If Architecture can stimulate an interaction with a higher power, I believe that it is quite possible that architecture can cultivate human social interaction. A building’s shape and program can become a social lubricant that makes people feel more comfortable in social situations. For instance a large room with an elevated stage or podium is a lot more menacing to some than a smaller conference room where people are arranged in a circle. By designing the size, shape, and temperament of a space architects can elevate or increase the level of social engagement. Frank Lloyd Wright used a simple application of this effect when designing his own home. As apart of the front entry Wright designed a “C” shaped entry that directed guests to the sides of the living room. This simple movement off the center axis allowed guests to enter the room indirectly and casually. On the opposite social spectrum buildings such as dorms, hotels, and gyms want to provide a sense of gathering and social interaction. It is important that architecture habilitate social interaction when it is needed and not isolate people from the group. Stadiums are a great example of how architecture has the ability to gather thousands of people into one place and still maintain order and function.
Architecture expresses who we are as a culture. Buildings are one of the largest man made objects and the footprints they leave behind define the people who create it. Often times the form of a building or site gets transformed into a patriotic symbol for a nation. The United States is full of buildings that have become an icon for the western way of life. The world trade center was symbolic of pride for the US so it became a target for terrorist aggression. Buildings become mental monument that represents our achievements as a nation. We look at the advancements make in construction and we see how far we have come. In other cases a building can represent a culture’s heritage, for instance The National Assembly Building of Bangladesh, designed by Louis Khan. Even though Khan was an American architect he designed the building with respect to Bangladesh culture. By creating an icon that the people of Bangladesh honor, khan helped bridge the gap between Eastern and western culture.
I believe that Khan sought the essence of human experience during his career as an architect; in regards to humans as a finite material khan says, “All material in nature, the mountains and the streams and the air and we, are made of Light which has been spent, and this crumpled mass called material casts a shadow, and the shadow belongs to Light.”
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